Immunization systems: fact sheet on Sustainable Development Goals (‎SDGs)‎: health targets

Overview

The Sustainable Development Goals (‎SDGs)‎ aim to transform our world. They are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. It is critical that no one is left behind. In 2015, all the countries in the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It sets out 17 Goals, which include 169 targets. These wide-ranging and ambitious Goals interconnect. SDG 3 is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. It has 13 targets measured through 26 indicators. However, a person’s health and well-being are affected not only by disease and treatment, but also by social and economic factors such as housing, poverty and education. Health targets can therefore also be found across the other SDGs. Vaccines are universally considered to be one of the most successful and cost-effective medical interventions ever introduced. Nine out of 10 children in the WHO European Region have received at least a basic set of vaccinations, and vaccination has brought about a remarkable reduction in child mortality over the past few decades. Yet there are gaps and alarming decreases in coverage. This fact sheet includes facts and figures, outlines the challenges, charts indicators of progress and shares commitments made by Member States to tackle this issue. It was tabled as a background document for the Technical briefing (‎EUR/RC67/TD/1)‎ during the Sixty-seventh session of the Regional Committee for Europe, Budapest, 11–14 September 2017.